Lubricating device for piston-rods.



No. 664,49l. Patented m. 25, I200,

n. s. mcueu an. J.- GORIILEY.

LUBBIGATING DEVIGE FQII PISTON RODS.

(Lpplicakion 8105 Hu. 90, 1900.) (No Iotlel.)

umllllllllll I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT MOCUEN AND PHILIP OSEPH GORMLEY, OF LEXINGTON; KENTUCKY.

LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR PISTON-*ROBS;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,491, dated December25, 190i). Application filed March 20, 1900. Serial No. 9,885. (Nomodel.)

T at whom it may concern: 7 Be it known that we,'RoBERrr"EMMET Mo- OUENand PHILIP JOSEPH GORMLEY, citizens of the United States, residing atLexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Lubricating Devices forPiston-Rods; and wedo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact de-' IO scription of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to lubricating devices forpiston and like rods.It has reference more particularly to that class or type of lubricatingdevices in which a capillary medium or swab is held in contact with thepiston-rod for the purpose of supplying oil or other lubricant theretoat or close to the gland of the stufling-box.

Hitherto oiling devices have been secured to the gland or stuffing-boxin different ways, with suitable means for supplying oil to the rod,either by capillarity or direct flow. In many former instances, however,the attachment of said oiling devices has been such as to render thesame objectionable because of the tendency of the device to work loosefrom its fastening, and, moreover, considerable dirt accumulates withinthe device, so that the piston or other rod is greatly damaged by thecutting or scoring thereof which occurs, and the result is that leakagetakes place and the rod is not permitted to move with, that 3 5 ease andprecision so essential to a perfectlyworking embodiment of a device ofthis character. A still further objecttion common also to many formerdevices of this class is the unequal manner in which the capillarymedium for the lubricant hugs or closes itself about or upon the rod bywhich to keep up or maintain a uniform lubrication of said rod, thisobjection or fault being almost invariably experienced as soon as theswab orlubrioat- 5 ing device has become the least bit worn due to themovements or working of the rod.

Further difficulties have been encountered heretofore on account of theeasy displacement of the swab or capillary medium and 50 which usuallyresults in so crowding the rod at the gland as to impart undue strain toboth the rod and the fastenings which secure the gland to thestuffing-box.

One object of the present invention is to overcome the above-notedobjections and to 5 5 provide a lubricator or oiling device for pistonand like rods which is securely held in place irrespective of thevibratory action of the rod in its movements or reciprocations and alsoto provide means whereby the swab or capillary medium is held closely tothe rod irrespective of the amount of wear to which the said swab ormedium may be subjected.

A further object is to provide means for preventing access of dirt tothe swab and con- 6 5 sequently overcoming any tendency or liability ofcutting or scoring the rod and also to increase the ease and facilitywith which the oiling device or lubricator can be attached or secured inplace and again removed either permanently or for the purposeofreplacing of parts or repair.

The above and additional objects we attain by the means illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view, partly insection, of a stufling-box, gland, piston-rod, and packing-ring andshowing ourimproved lubricator or oiling device surrounding the rod andsecured to the gland. Fig. 2 is an end view to more clearly indicate thedisposition or arrangement of the lubricator or oiling device, and Figs.3 and tare enlarged views in detail.

Preliminarily toa more detailed description it may be stated that in thepractice of our invention we attach our improved oiling device orlubricator to the end of the gland in any suitable way, but preferablyas will be explained. We secure to the gland a plate or disk having anopening by which to fit upon the rod in such manner as to allow freemovement of the latter, the said plate or disk being held in placesubstantially as will hereinafter more fully appear. Attached or securedto the said disk or plate in any suitable way and having a centralopening for the passage of the piston-rod is a cap-plate or annulusconstructed to form an annular space or chamber around the rod, andlocated in said chamber and closely fitting the rod is a swab orcapillary medium of any suitable fibrous material, by means of which theoil or y or reservoir;

piston-rod through said Well or reservoir.

other lubricant is fed or supplied to the piston-rod. Formed with orattached to the said cap-plate or annulus is a well or reservoir for thelubricant, and the latter is supplied to the swab through a suitableport or passage leading from the body of said well The pressure of thatportion of the swab lying intermediate the piston-rod and the under sideof. the well or reservoir prevents any dirt or grit from reaching the Asbefore stated, the swab closely fits the pistonrod, and to eifect thisfit the said swab is preferably formed on its outer surface with anannular depression or groove, in which is seated or contained a springfor compressing or closing the swab upon the rod, the said spring orcompressing device being of any suitable construction and operation.Preferably and as a means of permitting ready access of the oil orlubricant to the swab or capillary medium we employ a spiral spring forthis purpose, the same being fitted within the groove of the swab andextending all .around the latter under some tension or stress,

so as to tend to press the swab closely about the rod at all times. Itis evident that as the inner surface of the said swab becomes worn bycontact with the rod the said spring will act to take up such wear, andthus will a perfect working of the parts be had as well as a continuedand uniform lubrication thereof. An advantage will also be seen intheuse of the spiral spring, since the oil flowing from the reservoir orwell can easily pass between the coils or spirals thereof to the swab orcapillary medium about or around which the said spring is confined.

The cap-plate or annulus referred to is secured in place in a fluid orsteam tight manner, and it will be apparent that the working oroperation of the parts takes place smoothly and effectually withoutleakage or other disadvantages heretofore frequently experienced in manyformer instances.

It will be understood that our improved lubricator or oiling device isadapted to be used in connection with any embodiment of a stuffing-box,gland, and pistonrod, and hence we are not limited to the particularembodiment of the same herein shown and referred to and which isintended to be simply illustrative in character.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by the designating charactersthereon, the numeral 1. designates a stuffing-box, 2 a gland or followerfitting and working therein, and 3 a piston-rod working-through saidstuffingbox and gland. These elements can be of the ordinary or anypreferred form and arrangement, as can the metallic packing receptacleor ring 4 and the packing-rings therein, the spring 5, and the rings 6and 7, respectively, which latterin the present instance cooperate withthe metallic packing receptacle or' ring 4 and the packing within saidreceptacle in producing a fluid-tight joint. In lieu of the saidmetallic packing-ring any other form of packing may be employed, and, infact, the entire embodiment may be changed at pleasure,since the same issimply selected or chosen to illustrate our present invention inconnection with a contrivance or structure of this general character orarrangement.

Our improved lubricator or oiling device is constructed and arrangedsubstantially as follows, although it will be understood that We are notlimited to the precise details shown either in their form or identicaldisposition,

since immaterial departures therefrom can be made and the same still bewithin the scope of invention intended to be embraced: Thus 10represents a plate or disk (see Fig. 2) having an opening 11 therein bywhich the same is slipped over the piston-rod 3, the said plate, asherein shown, being preferably formed with a flange 12, (see Fig. 1,)which partially incloses the outer ring 7, and which flange abutsclosely against the end 13 of the gland or follower 2. This plate 10 canbe secured in place in any suitable way; but preferably we form the'samewith a bolt hole or opening 14 at or near each corner thereof, andthrough these holes are passed the bolts 15, which are long enough toenter the end of the stuffingbox 1- at 16, and in this way both the saidplate and stuffing-box are held in position in an obvious manner. Inorder to efiect a perfect and fluid tight fastening between the parts,we employ suitable locking-nuts 17 and jam-nuts 18, screwing upon theouter projecting ends of said bolts, the said nuts 17 closely abuttingthe said plate 10 and the said nuts 18 closely jamming said nuts 17.Also fitting around the piston-rod 3 and fastened or secured to theplate or disk 10 is a cap-plate or annulus 20, the same being providedall around with a flange or offset 21, so as to form an annular chamberor compartment 22 intermediate the said annulus and the said plate 10.The inner surface of the cap-plate or annulus 20 is preferably (thoughnot necessarily) beveled outwardly at 23 in the direction of thepiston-rod, so that the said plate will better receive and confine inplace the swab or capillary medium 25, which feeds or supplies thelubricant or oil to the piston-rod, the said swab being herein shown ascomprising a ring of any suitable porous or fibrous substance fittingaround the piston-rod and closely abutting the outer surface of the saidring or disk hereinbefore referred to. The outer surface of said swab orcapillary medium is preferably (though not essentially) provided allaround with a depression or groove 26, by which to better adapt the sameto receive suitable means for compressing the swab closely around therod. Said means in the present instance preferably comprises a spiralspring 29, which extends all around the swab under stress or tensioncircumferentially, so that the said swab is both tightly compressedaround the rod and prevented from displacement as well.

The reservoir or well for holding the lubricating-oil can be located inany suitable position, but preferably it occupies the highest point inthe circumference of the cap-plate or annulus 20, as seen at 30, and thebottom of said well is inclined inwardly at 31, so as to facilitate theflow of lubricant to the port or opening 32, through which suchlubricant escapes to the swab, the latter being thus kept constantlysaturated in view of the fact that no impediment is offered to thepassage of the oil by the spring. On the contrary, the oil is freelyadmitted to the said swab through the spaces separating the coils ofsaid spring, as is clearly apparent. The said cap-plate or annulus 20issecured to the said plate 10 in any suitable manner, it being understoodthat the connection must be fluid or steam tight. Preferably, however,we provide the inner surface of the flange 21 of the annulus 20 with ascrew-thread 35, which fits a threaded rib or flange 36, formed on theouter face of the said disk or plate 10. Obviously by first slipping theswab and. its compressing spring upon the piston-rod and then screwingon the annulus as described the parts can be quickly and accuratelyfixed in position. As a double security for holding the cap-plate orannulus tightlyin place against the plate 10 We employ suitable bolts 40and nuts 41, the former passing through openings in lugs 42 and enteringthe said plate or disk 10.

Our improved lubricator or oiling device can be made of any materialdesired, and it is obvious that the same is inexpensive andadvantageous, and, moreover, no skill is required in nicely fitting andadjusting the same to position in operation.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lubricating device for piston and like rods, the combinationwith the rod and gland, of an oil-chamber encircling the rod at the endof the gland, a swab or capillary medium su rrounding the rod within thecharm ber, and a compression device for said swab independent ofandwithin said chamber; substantially as described.

2. In a lubricating device for piston and like rods, the combinationwith the rod and gland, of an oil-chamber encircling the rod at the endof the gland, a swab or capillary medium surrounding the rod within thechamber, and a spiral spring enveloping or inclosing said swab;substantially as described.

3. In a lubricating device for piston and like rods, the combinationwith the rod and gland, of an oil-chamber concentric with the rod at theend of the gland, a swab or capillary medium surrounding the rod withinthe chamber and formed with a circumferential groove, and a spiralspring fitting in said groove; substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

4. In a lubricating device for piston and like rods, the combinationwith the rod and gland, of an oil-chamber concentric with the rod at theend of the gland, aswab or capillary medium surrounding the rod withinthe chamber, and a spiral spring inclosiug said swab under tension;substantially as described.

5. In a lubricating device for piston and like rods, the combinationwith the rod and gland, of an oil-chamber concentric with the rod at theend of the gland, and provided with a well or reservoir having acommunicating port, a swab or capillary medium surrounding the rodwithin the chamber, and a spiral springinclosing orencirclingsaidswab;substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

6. In a lubricating device for piston and like rods, the combinationwith the rod and gland, of an oil-chamber concentric with the rod at theend of the gland, and provided with a well or reservoir having acommunicating port, the bottom of said well being inclined toward thesaid port, a swab or capillary medium surrounding the rod within thechamber, and a compression device for said swab independent of andwithin said Glltllih ber; substantially as described.

7. In a lubricating device for piston and like rods, the combinationwith the rod and its gland, of a plate or disk fitting the rod andsecured to the gland, a cap-plate or annulus secured to said disk andformed with a flange abutting the said plate or disk, an oil-chamberformed by the latter plate and the cap-plate, a swab or capillary mediumsurrounding the rod within the chamber, and a compression device forsaid swab; substantially as described.

8. In a lubricating device for piston and like rods, the combinationwith the rod, the gland, and the stuffing-box, of a plate or diskfitting the rod and abutting the end of the gland, bolts passing throughthe said plate and gland and entering the stufling-box, and nuts forsecuring said bolts, a cap-plate or annulus screwing into the outer faceof said disk, an oil-chamber intermediate the two, nut and boltfastenings also securing the capplate to the disk, a swab or capillarymedium surrounding the rod within the chamber, and a compression devicefor said swab; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affixour signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ROBERT EMMET MOCUEN. PHILIP JOSEPH GORMLEY.

Witnesses:

A. A. MoQUAID, BEN GRIGSBY.

